Serpentine Empire

Chapter 3

Was I dreaming?

There was no way this was real. Yet, as I rubbed my head, the tender bump from Hector's pistol confirmed it: this was no dream. Last night had happened. The blood, the bodies, Isabel's sinister smile—they were all too vivid to be a fabrication of my mind.

My thoughts spiraled. Isabel? Hector? What the hell did I get myself into? The faces of the dead played on a relentless loop in my head. I couldn't shake them. Their eyes, frozen in terror, haunted me. Was this what guilt felt like, even though I hadn't pulled the trigger?

I tried to rationalize it. Maybe it was all a setup—something for a film or a TV show. This is LA, after all. Everything feels like a movie. But no director would script the fear that gripped me or the venom in Isabel's voice when she spoke.

My spiraling thoughts were interrupted by the sharp ring of my doorbell.

No one had ever visited me before. Not even my landlord. A chill ran down my spine. Was it Isabel? Hector? Or maybe Omar's crew coming for revenge?

I instinctively grabbed a knife from my kitchen drawer, clutching it tightly as I approached the door.

"Who is it?" I asked, trying to steady my voice.

"It's Jade," came the reply.

Jade? My mind reeled. I peered through the peephole, catching a glimpse of her wild blonde curls. What the hell was she doing here? And more importantly, how did she find my apartment?

"Go away, Jade," I said, my tone harsher than intended. "I'm not letting you in. You set me up!"

"Set you up? What the fuck are you talking about?" she shot back. "Did Omar attack you or something?"

Her words took me off guard. She doesn't know. She didn't set me up.

"Shit," I muttered under my breath. I couldn't tell her the truth about Omar's death or the massacre at the store. Thinking quickly, I decided to change the topic. But her voice grew louder, and the thin walls of my apartment wouldn't keep my neighbors from hearing her.

Reluctantly, I opened the door.

Standing before me was Jade, as fiery as ever, but there was something new—a small child peering out from behind her legs. The girl had long blonde hair like Jade's, though it was unkempt, and her clothes looked worn and too small. Her eyes mirrored Jade's, and I immediately saw the resemblance.

"Who's this?" I asked, surprised. "Your little sister?"

"No," Jade replied, brushing past me into the apartment. "She's my daughter."

"Daughter?" I exclaimed, shutting the door behind her. Of all the things I expected from Jade, this wasn't one of them. She always exuded a youthful recklessness, the last person I'd imagine having a child.

"Yeah. What, you think someone like me can't have a kid?" she asked defensively.

"It's not that," I said, trying to recover. "I just... didn't see you as the motherly type."

"Well, shit happens," she snapped. "Her dad's a deadbeat. Anyway, I'm here because I need to borrow some money."

"Money? Jade, I'm barely scraping by myself," I replied.

"Anything will help," she said, her tone softening slightly. "Because of you, Omar fucked up my gig, and now I can't pay my bills."

Her words hit me like a punch to the gut. Omar. The man I shoved to the ground last night, is now dead. Is this my fault?

Before I could respond, a small voice broke the tension.

"Mom, I'm hungry," said the little girl, her voice barely above a whisper.

Jade knelt, stroking her daughter's hair. "Don't worry, Aria. We'll get something to eat soon."

I could see the desperation in her eyes. Aria's thin frame and tired expression made it clear she hadn't eaten in a while. Despite my better judgment, I found myself walking to the small closet where I kept my emergency stash.

Opening the box, I counted out $3,000 in cash—more than half of what I had saved. It was risky, but I couldn't bear the thought of Aria going hungry.

When I handed the money to Jade, her eyes widened in disbelief.

"Three grand?!" she exclaimed. "I was only asking for a hundred bucks!"

"Buy her some new clothes," I said, nodding toward Aria. "Make sure she eats well."

"Shit, Damon," she said, still shocked. "I can't promise I'll pay this back, but... thank you."

"Don't worry about it," I replied. "Just take care of her."

Jade turned to Aria, showing her the money with a rare, genuine smile. "Look, Aria. We're going to get something nice to eat."

For the first time, Aria smiled—a small, shy expression that tugged at something deep inside me.

As they left, Aria turned back and gave me a tiny wave. I waved back, feeling a strange pang of connection. Watching them walk away, I couldn't help but see the parallels between Aria and myself. Abandoned by her father, struggling to get by—it was all too familiar.

As much as I wanted to focus on Jade and her daughter, their visit had only been a temporary distraction. The moment they were gone, my thoughts returned to Isabel.

Who is she? What does she want from me? And how the hell do I get out of this mess alive?